Top 5 adult acne myths:
Myth #1:
Acne is a teenage disease.
Reality:
Acne affects adult females to an epidemic degree. Women aged 26 to 34 are the fastest growing group of acne sufferers. Women often experience acne during pregnancy, pre-menopause, and menopause as well. Because of the misconception that only teens get acne many adult women feel embarrassed and ashamed of their "adolescent" condition and do not get the treatment they need.
Myth #2:
I only break out during my period so I don't really have acne. A lot of women get zits when they're on their period. It's unavoidable.
Reality: There is no reason anyone must break out a regular basis. The right treatment regimen can eliminate monthly breakouts completely. The cause of acne in different people may vary but the treatment does not. Prevention and consistency is the key. If you want to stop breaking out along with your period and chasing zits around your face with spot treatment and cover-up every 28 days, just follow the Acne.org Regimen and your monthly breakouts will be replaced by consistently clear skin-one more thing you can check off your "I need to worry about this" list.
Myth #3:
Birth control pills clear acne.
Reality:
Certain low dose birth control pills inhibit the hormones responsible for acne. So why wouldn't all women get on the pill? The reality surrounding these pills is much foggier than it seems. It's true that some women clear up somewhat on these pills but other women inexplicably see their acne symptoms increase. Also, many women experience intense breakouts in the months after they stop taking the pill. Birth control pills come with a wide range of side effects as well. While they may help some acne prone women in the short term, the decision to go on the pill requires a heart-to-heart with a seasoned doctor. The Acne.org Regimen offers consistently better results than the birth control pill without potentially dangerous side effects.
Myth #4:
Stress causes acne.
Reality:
Stress can have an effect on hormone levels and may theoretically promote acne, especially in women. However, an effective acne treatment regimen is more powerful than a bout of stress any day. Some psychiatric medications may have acne as a side effect, but stress itself is no big deal. Your time is better spent determining the right course of acne treatment rather than feeling guilty about stress.
Myth #5:
The make-up I use says it's non-comedogenic (won't clog pores) so it can't be causing my breakouts.
Reality:
The FDA sets no official guidelines for claiming that a product is non-comedogenic (won't clog pores) and there is much debate over which cosmetic ingredients are comedogenic so a product label can say non-comedogenic when in fact it is contributing to your breakouts. Acne.org provides thousands of consumer product reviews with reliable feedback on whether or not a particular product is pore clogging. And Dan is constantly researching the newest cosmetic ingredients while harnessing the knowledge of doctors, researchers, estheticians, and consumers to find out the truth about which products are acne safe and which ones are not.
Skin care steps and recommended drugstore products by Dan Kern:
Step One: Gently wash the skin according to the instructions on how to cleanse your skin outlined on The Regimen pages found at Acne.org. Below are three gentle cleansers that I recommend for use with The Regimen. They can be purchased at your local drugstore.
1. Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, 6 oz.
I prefer liquid cleansers and this is a nice one. It is as gentle as you can find. It is a bit pricey however.
2. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash, 6 oz.
This liquid cleanser works well with The Regimen, but again, is a little expensive for my taste. But it is a good product.
3. Basis Sensitive Skin Bar
This is my favorite cleansing bar. It is unscented, gentle, and it lathers well (great for use as a shave cream). It is also inexpensive.
>> Click to buy
Step Two: Apply benzoyl peroxide according to the instructions on how to medicate your skin outlined on The Regimen pages found at Acne.org. For this step you must use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide.
1. Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment, .75 oz.
This is the only 2.5% benzoyl peroxide product widely available on store shelves in the United States. Although it is cream based and can leave a white residue on the skin, it works well enough. Since it is cream based, it also may clump up with your moisturizer. If this occurs, gently slough off clumps with your fingers. It comes in a very small tube and is quite expensive per ounce.
Step Three: Gently apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer according to the specific instructions found on The Regimen pages of Acne.org. Below is a list of three moisturizers I recommend for use with The Regimen that can be found at your local drugstore.
1. Complex 15 Therapeutic Moisturizing Face Cream
This moisturizer has a great feel. However it does not take care of flakiness well enough for many people. To make it more moisturizing and eliminate flakiness, mix in 4-5 drops of jojoba oil. It comes in a small 2.5oz tube and is relatively expensive per ounce. Contains no SPF.
>> Click to buy
2. Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, 8 oz. or 16 oz.
This product moisturizes well and combats flakiness. It comes in a large 8 oz. or 16 oz. size for a good price. The feel is a bit thick however and not everyone likes it, including me, but it seems to work well for some people. Contains no SPF.
>> Click to buy
3. Olay Complete, Sensitive Skin, 4 oz. or 6 oz.
4. This is my favorite SPF moisturizer, but it does not take care of flakiness well enough on its own. To achieve flakiness control, mix in 4-5 drops of jojoba oil upon each application.
Supplementary products:
Jojoba oil: Many people still experience some flakiness while using moisturizers from the product recommendations list. If you're not using the Acne.org brand moisturizer but you want complete flakiness control, you can add a few drops of jojoba oil to your moisturizer in the palm of your hand before applying. This will eliminate flakiness. Jojoba oil is a great choice for acne prone skin.
1. Desert Essence Jojoba Oil
The cap is not ideal, and it can tend to be pricey per ounce, but the oil is high quality. It is available on a more limited basis than the other drugstore products I recommend, but you should be able to find it at most health food stores.
Learn more about Dan Kern's acne treatment.
